What Never Was
by unfinishe
Summary: -"They're mine, Brambleclaw. Squirrelflight and the kits."- Ashfur could have followed a different path. This is it. AshSquirrel, don't like, DON'T READ!


**What Never Was**

**Summary: Ashfur never had to travel down the path he did, but one choice by Squirrelflight changed all that. Here is his other path.**

**A/N: I got inspiration, wrote, and voila! An Ashfur sympathy fic, because I love him, and SquirrelAsh is still my Warriors OTP, even if Squirrelflight is a witch with a "b".**

**Disclaimer: Warriors and all related themes and characters belong to Erin Hunter. No copyright infringement was intended. I am not making any money.

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"Ashfur, Ashfur, come quick!"

I turn, frowning. Birchfall is running towards me, as fast as he can. He hasn't been my apprentice for moons, but now I'm reminded of him at six moons, fresh out of the nursery.

"What's going on, Birchfall?" I ask as he skids to as top next to me.

"The kits!" Birchfall breathes. "They're coming! Leafpool sent me to get you!"

My eyes widen. "But they shouldn't be here for another moon!"

"I know that!" Birchfall snaps. "I didn't choose to have the kits come now!"

"Of course, I'm sorry." I rasp my tongue over his ear, and then pelt towards camp, not waiting for him.

Firestar, Sandstorm, and Brambleclaw are standing outside the nursery. I narrow my eyes. What is _he_ doing here? He has no place here.

"Firestar, Sandstorm," I greet the leader and his mate, casting a glance towards the nursery entrance. I can't see anything. "How is she?"

"Fine," Sandstorm assures me.

"Sandstorm, I need your help!" Leafpool calls suddenly from inside the nursery.

Sandstorm wastes no time chit-chatting. She immediately dashes inside.

Firestar stands, sighing. "I should stay, but Thornclaw and the rest of the dawn patrol found something they wanted me to see…"

"Go," Brambleclaw says before I can speak. "We'll be fine here."

"Thank you, Brambleclaw." Firestar nods to his deputy, and then turns to me. "Congratulations, Ashfur."

"Thank you, Firestar," I murmur as he walks away. The second the leader is out of earshot, I turn on Brambleclaw. "What do you think you're doing here?" I hiss.

Brambleclaw stares coolly at me. "Do I have a reason not to be?"

"Don't you have deputy duties or something?" I snap. "She's _my_ mate, not yours!"

Brambleclaw bares his teeth and hisses. "Would you like to prove it?"

"She's having my kits!"

"She almost had mine!"

I hiss angrily. "That was before!"

"And in a tragic incident," Brambleclaw growls, "she lost the kits. She turned to you because she couldn't have what she wanted with me."

"She turned to me because she realized where her heart truly lies!"

"Then her heart truly does lie," Brambleclaw says, narrowing his eyes.

I let out an angry yowl and spring at him. We tussle for a few moments before I feel teeth in my scruff, pulling me off of Brambleclaw.

"What in StarClan's name do you two think you're doing?" Dustpelt pants, spitting my fur out of his mouth. "Fighting? In camp?"

"He… I…" How am I supposed to explain what Brambleclaw did? Can't he just accept that he and Squirrelflight are over? She's mine now!

A yowl breaks through the angry tension. "Ashfur, come see your kits!"

The anger and fury melts away as I turn to where Leafpool stands, smiling, in the entrance to the nursery.

I dash over, pushing the medicine cat out of the way and ignoring her protests as I hurry to my mate's side.

Three small bundles of fur rest by her belly. Sandstorm stands off to the side, smiling. I let out a small gasp. Those three kits… They're mine. _My_ kits.

I slowly lay down next to her. She smiles at me, and I feel as though my heart might burst with joy. The three kits are perfect. One is a light ginger, almost gold, just like Squirrelflight, just like Firestar. The other two are darker, one a gray tabby, the other pure black.

"They're beautiful," I breathe.

Squirrelflight smiles again. "I haven't named them yet."

I look up at her. "Well, we have to do that now, don't we?"

She nuzzles my chest. "I suppose we do."

We both look down at the squirming kits. "Lionkit," Squirrelflight says, nudging the golden one back up against her belly.

I nod. "The black one…" I trail off, then decide. "Hollykit."

"And the gray one?" Squirrelflight muses. She glances over at me, her eyes twinkling. "I have half a mind to name him Ashkit."

I chuckle, drawing my tongue over her ear.

"If I may make a suggestion…" a voice says from the nursery entrance.

We both turn our heads. Brambleclaw is standing there.

I can see the pain that springs into Squirrelflight's eyes. She knows she hurt him, and she'll never be able to forgive herself for it, even if she loves me, and will never love anyone else.

"Go ahead Brambleclaw," I murmur, much to everyone's surprise, including myself.

"Jaykit."

"What?" Squirrelflight frowns.

"The gray one." Brambleclaw nods in the direction of our kits. "He should be named Jaykit."

Squirrelflight smiles at him. "Thank you, Brambleclaw."

I nod, but say nothing.

He stands there a moment longer, as if torn between staying and leaving. Finally, he turns, but I catch his eye before he leaves.

_They're mine, Brambleclaw,_ I think in his direction. _Squirrelflight _and_ the kits._

He stares, and then nods, as if he heard. "Congratulations, Ashfur," he murmurs, turning away. "You're a lucky cat."

"I know," I whisper after him. Then I turn back to Squirrelflight, back to my kits.

"I love you," I whisper in her ear.

She smiles up at me. "I love you too, Ashfur."

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**A/N: Not sure what inspired me to write this in first person, it just seemed to make more sense to me that way. *shrug* Reviews are much appreciated!**

**Off to take over the world,**

**Crazy Girl**


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